


You Were The Only Home I Knew

by AnonymouslyDead



Category: She-Ra - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Catra runs from the horde, F/F, Flashback, Kinda, and into the rebellion lol, im too impatient to wait for the week though, inspired by Catra-Adoraweek on tumblr’s prompt list, more tags later maybe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2019-09-16 03:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16945734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonymouslyDead/pseuds/AnonymouslyDead
Summary: Catra gets hunted down by the Horde for letting Adora and Glimmer escape, and stumbles into the Rebellion. Can she adjust to the new situation?





	1. Day 1: Horde

Catra sprinted into the Whispering Woods as fast as she could, and the deja vu hit her full force. She had lived this before, her running for her life from stalking horrors in a desperate search for some salvation.

When she was small though, things had been much more simple. She couldn’t remember just how but she had ended up lost in these wood, scared and alone. She was left to wander amongst the endless forest of twisted shadows for what had felt like an eternity. 

While she was walking, a bush started to rustle. She jumped, but her fear froze her in place, awaiting whatever monster to pop out. 

Instead, a little girl pushed her way out of the plant. She was clearly human with blue eyes and pale skin. Her blond hair was a disheveled mess decorated with leaves and twigs. The girl gave her a toothy grin, revealing one of her big front teeth to be missing. 

“Hi, I’m Adora! Who are you?” She practically shouted at her. Behind her, she heard more resulting as heavier footsteps treaded closer. 

“Adora! We told you not to run off.” A man clad in strange armor appeared, seeming to scowl at Adora behind his helmet. Adora didn’t seem fazed though, only grinning at him. 

“Come on, we have to get back to base.” Another man said. 

“Oh! Can my new friend come with us?” Adora exclaimed. 

“No! Stray children have no place in the Horde.”

“But I want to play with her!” Adora whined. The three argued back and forth for a while with Catra watching in a mix of fear and interest. Finally, one of the men sighed and surrendered. Adora cheered, grabbing Catra’s hand. She dragged her along after the men as they marched out of the forest. 

Catra didn’t know it at the time, but she was being pulled into her new home. She hadn’t expected to stay more than one day, but Adora insisted she’d continue to stay until she had been adopted into the Horde’s ranks as one of them. 

And sure, the Horde has been hell. Her laidback attitude or her sharp wit didn’t match up with a military lifestyle. She’d been reprimanded more times than she could count in painful ways by Shadow Weaver while other soldiers brushed her off. “Just Adora’s pet.” They’d scoff. “We’ll be rid of her soon enough.” 

But, that wasn’t true. Adora held her close like a security blanket, treating her with the upmost care. She was a true friend: a partner in crime for her pranks and a confidant for all of her insecurities. And despite the Horde’s strong discouragement on weakness, Adora never judged her. 

It was somewhere between all of their interactions that the Horde, despite its faults, started to actually feel like home. Somewhere between all their late night explorations of the Fright Zone and all the fights they picked with other soldiers for fun that she realized how safe she felt here. For the first time in forever, she was at ease, and she knew she had Adora to thank for that. 

But now, Adora was gone, and she had no home, a fact that called up so much anger and hurt at the mere thought of Adora. 

Maybe, that’s what had made helping Adora escape the first time so easy. Adora had finally decided to be rid of her. Just like everyone said. How could she stand in Adora’s way when she clearly didn’t give a damn about her? 

Too bad Hordak found out. He always did. It already took little to set the other soldiers after Catra, but with this?

They were out for blood. 

She heard the hum of a skiff behind her and another to her right. She cursed violently, switching tactics. She scampered up into the nearest tree and held her breath. The skiffs sped by much to her relief. 

She crept out farther on the branch she was perched on. The skiffs grew smaller as they sailed farther into the forest towards...

A weird glittering light? In the distance, a blue light sparkles through the dark forest. Catra squinted at it, but she couldn’t make out what it was. Catra leapt from tree to tree, trying to get closer. 

Wait, she had seen that before when they were launching an invasion on Bright Moon. That was the start of the kingdom’s territory. 

An idea started to form in her head. She headed towards it. Maybe if she was lucky, Adora was still there. She could- 

But, she wouldn’t. They weren’t little kids that covered for each other anymore. 

She realized too late that she miscalculated the distance between her next tree. She was already leaping. Her fingertips grazed the tree’s branches before she plummeted to the ground, landing with a sickening crunch and an echoing cry. 

“There she is!” Someone nearby shouted. The hum of skiffs quickly grew to a deafening roar. 

Catra clambered to her feet. She tried to run but the wave of pain that struck her from her left leg sent her sprawling on the ground. Her vision turned the world around her into a spotty mess. 

The skiffs took advantage of her weakness. They surrounded her. Horde soldiers hopped off baring their guns and stalking towards her. Catra struggled back to her feet only for a soldier to pistol whip her back down onto her back. 

The soldiers glared down at her. Catra closed her eyes. Her only hope was that she wouldn’t pull Entrapta and Scorpia down with her. 

The next few minutes were a blur. Her vision had started to darken around the edges, but she could make out a flash of glitter. A painful cry. A flash of gold. 

Then, everything fell silent. Like an apparition, Adora slid into her field of vision. She fell to her knees, grasping at her face. 

“Catra?! Catra, what did you do?!” Adora shouted, looking distressed. How funny was that to see coming from a traitor? 

And yet, here she was back with the only person that felt like home, and she couldn’t find it in herself to protest.


	2. Lasts

Next thing Catra knows, she’s in a squishy bed. The room around her is decorated in bright pastels mixed with sterile medical equipment. It all screamed enemy territory.

She sat up and ripped off a sparkly blanket off of her violently. She moved to stand only for her left leg to resist. Up to her thigh was a thick cocoon of stiff bandages, keeping her from bending her leg. She tried to claw it off, but her claws barely left a scratch in the thick mass. 

Fuck it. She needs to leave now. It took a frustrating minute, but she climbs to her feet. Keeping one hand on the stone wall, she hobbled out of the room-

And straight into a spear. She should’ve known they would’ve put guards in front of her room. 

The guards picked her up easily. Catra hissed, squirmed, and even slashed at their armor, anything to at least give them hell, but she still wound up thrown back in bed. She bit back a groan as the motion jolt her leg painfully. 

“Next time, we’ll tie you to the bed.” One of them spat. The other gave her a nasty glare before they both leave. 

Ok, new plan. 

**************************

When the guards come back in, Catra is nowhere to be seen. The guards started to panic and search the room, leaving one guard to check under the bed. 

“Ack!” The guard cried, grasping at her bleeding face. She dropped her spear and reeled back from the bed. 

Catra took advantage of her weakness. She scooped up the spear and used it to pull herself up. The other guards charged at her with their own spears. Catra’s training kicked in. She shifted to block both guards. 

Taking on two rebel guards should’ve been easy, but her cast was not helping. As the two bore down on her, she found herself struggling to both stay upright and fight. She missed one spear, taking a blow from its shaft to her ribs. She went down hard groaning.

The guards descended on her, making quick work of binding her arms. One threw her over her shoulder before marching out the room. Catra cursed and squirmed again, but it was no use. She was at their mercy. 

Well, this was it. A cold pit formed in her stomach at the realization. They were marching her to her death. 

No, it wasn’t their fault. Adora was the one who saved her only to hand her over to the Rebellion and their monstrous princesses. She growled loudly, screaming curses even louder. How dare she? After all she’s done to her already? 

“Quiet! Before I gag you too!” The guard holding her snapped. Catra quit yelling if only to save what little dignity she had left. 

They marched for a while through lavishly decorated halls until they came to a huge set of oak doors. The other guard threw open the doors, letting the guard that held Catra into a large throne room. 

“Your majesty, I have the prisoner!” She announced to Queen Angella and the crowds around her. Catra was about to quip back, but they chose them to set her down, sending another shock of pain through her. 

Queen Angella looked down at them from her throne. “I sent three of you down to the infirmary.” 

“Your Majesty, the Horde soldier attacked us and incapacitated Aurora.”

“I see.” Queen Angella said, her lips drawn in a tight worrying line. 

“She was just scared!” Someone cried from the crowd. Everyone’s attention turned to where Adora was pushing to the front of the crowd. When she saw the attention on her, she smiled nervously. “Your majesty?” 

“Adora, you are the one that brought the enemy into our kingdom.” 

“But she’s not with the enemy anymore! The Horde soldiers I stopped were hunting her down like an animal! I save her life!” Adora said. 

“That doesn’t mean she’s on our side though.” Queen Angella pointed out. 

“Please give her a chance.” Adora ran up to where Catra was followed closely by her friends. “I know she could be a great addition to the Rebellion.” 

Catra wanted to scoff at the idea, but something about seeing Adora was overwhelming. A toxic mix of resentment, hurt, and longing screamed in her mind in a confusing symphony. Part of her wanted to snap at Adora. Tell her to quit her heroic bullshit. To just leave her alone to the hell she brought on herself. 

But, another part of her, some childish sense of nostalgia, wanted to hide behind Adora like the old days when they had particularly pissed off Shadow Weaver. She was the only safe constant in Catra’s life. If she wanted to pretend that was still true for a minute, she would gladly follow to get out of this situation. 

Queen Angella raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And you would hold yourself responsible for her?” 

“Yes, Your majesty.” Adora responded automatically. 

“And you.” Queen Angella turned her gaze to Catra, eyeing her critically. The last time Catra saw her was sent she had been on the battlefield, battered and weakened to the point of being nothing but a pest. But now, her gaze alone was piercing. She carried herself with such a sense of royal power. It was like a slap to the face realization: one word from her could end her life. 

She gulped. “Yes...your majesty?” She tried. Queen Angella didn’t look amused. 

“How do I know we can trust you? Your loyalties could still lie with the Horde for all I know.” 

She watched Catra critically. “Um...” She started to sweat, her mind screaming to say something. She looked to her side where Adora looked back in fear. “Adora.” 

Queen Angella frowned down at her, but Catra had an idea. “My loyalties never lied with the Horde. I followed Adora into the Horde and now I follow her here. And now, I’ll follow her anywhere. Even to my death.” She bowed her head, surprising herself with her own earnest tone. 

The memory of all the times Adora offered her a place here screamed in her mind. All the times she rejected it violently to the point she almost killed Adora. Her mess of emotions flared again: indignation for even claiming that to be true and bitter regret at the realization that it was only a lie now. 

There was a long pause before the queen sighed. “Very well. I’ll allow it, but it’s only one chance. Do not make me regret it.” 

She stomped her royal scepter onto the stone floor, making the matter final. People started filing out of the room, muttering their own opinions on the matter. 

Catra felt Adora grab her shoulder and lead her back towards the door. Catra tried to keep up, but her pained limping could barely keep up with Adora’s stride. She was practically being dragged back into the hall and down an empty corridor. Suddenly, Adora stopped and turned. 

“Catra...” Adora gave her a look that was somehow more unnerving than the queen’s. It was intense and full of questions. Catra quickly looked away from it, finding they were apparently in a closet. 

“I just said that to get her royal heinous of my back.” She snapped. Adora blinked at her. She reached behind her back and drew her sword. 

“Turn around.” 

Catra complied. With a quick slash, Catra’s hands were free. Catra rubbed her wrists, letting the strands of rope fall away.

“Thanks. Later, Adora.” Catra clumsily turned to walk off. She felt an arm suddenly seize her arm. 

“Where are you going?” 

“Anywhere but here.” Catra replied coolly. She could see the look of disapproval on Adora’s face. 

“That’s suicide. With your leg like that, the Horde will catch you immediately.” 

“I’ll take my chances.” Catra shrugged. 

“But why not stay?” Adora urged. “Queen Angella already agreed to it.” 

“Yeah, and I didn’t ask you to do that, did I?” Catra snapped. Adora’s face twisted in anger. 

“Damn it, Catra. This isn’t about some power trip. Despite what you think, I don’t actually want to take advantage of you.” Adora sighed her face softening. “Can’t you just trust me this one last time? The Rebellion is full of good people. They’re not like the Horde.”

Catra looked at her. Her blue eyes were full of a strange, intense desperation. Looking at them was torture, stirring her already messy emotions, but looking away would be admitting defeat. 

She maintained her stare for a minute before it got to be too much. She looked down with a groan. “Fine. Whatever! It’s not like I have anywhere else to go.” 

Adora gave her a small weary smile. “Come on, let’s get you back to the infirmary.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff coming next maybe


	3. Sun and Moon

Catra spent weeks forced to stay in bed. It was mind numbing to lay around all day despite Adora claiming it would be good for her. Catra obeyed though if only to avoid another fight with the guards.

It was still a great relief when her doctor finally deemed her leg healed. He sawed off her cast, giving her use of the limb back. 

Along with getting her limb back, she was also granted a great deal of freedom, she found. She couldn’t control who she would have to deal with. Adora and her friends would often visit her in the infirmary. And while she appreciated the thought...somewhat, it was hell. Bow was way too bubbly, trying to make friends with her on sight, while Glimmer gave her a calculating stare like a sniper eying it’s target. 

And as for Adora,...Catra still wasn’t sure how to feel about her. But outside the infirmary, Catra didn’t have to deal with any of that. She left the castle as soon as she had the chance in favor of exploring the land nearby. 

She avoided the villages, of course, choosing to head for the wild cliffs and canyons lining the border of the kingdom. She had a clear advantage here, her agility allowing her to scale the large rock faces easily. 

She settled on the tallest cliff she could find. She sat down on the edge of the cliff, finally taking in her surroundings. 

“Wow.” The sky stretched a beautiful clear blue around her. Below her, she could see the kingdom of Bright Moon. It looked so tiny from her perch. No wonder it felt so suffocating down there. 

Because, she had the whole world to explore now. It seemed like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She wasn’t shackled to the Fright Zone anymore. She could go anywhere she wanted. She was free.

“Catra!” A trio of distant voices echoed through the air. 

...She would be free if one of those voices hadn’t opened her goddamn mouth and shackled her to the Rebellion. 

Catra growled. She got up and slinked away, careful to avoid Adora on the way down. 

***********************

Avoiding Adora and her friends turned out to be harder than it looked. Catra knew Adora was stubborn, but this was ridiculous. 

Everyday, Catra had to keep on the run. She’d hide amongst the cliffs and canyons, sometimes even in the edges of the Whispering Woods. But, they always seemed to close in on her, leaving her in a state of constant vigilance. 

Her only comfort was when the sun went down. As soon as night fell, Adora and her friends gave up on their search for her, leaving Catra able to move freely. 

And so, the night was her favorite time. Not only was she free from their chase, she was able to enjoy the night sky out in the open. The air around Bright Moon was so clear it allowed Etheria’s moon and a tapestry of stars to shine in the sky unlike the Fright Zone’s own polluted sky. 

It was an ever changing marvel that Catra loved to watch. It was like a grand reminder of her freedom. She’d climb her favorite high spot amongst the cliffs or a comfy tree and gaze at the sky for hours every night. 

That is until Adora ruined that, too. 

Catra was doing her regular star gazing when she heard a snap below. She quickly readjusted herself to a crouch ready to pounce. 

And then, she saw Adora walking through the dark alone with only her luminescent sword as a light source. Catra leapt down in front of her. 

“What do you want?” Catra whined. 

Adora looked at her incredulously. “What do you mean “what do I want?” You’ve been running from us for days. What have you been doing?” 

Catra shrugged. “Mischief. Thievery. The usual.” 

“Catra, I’m serious!”

“I’m just looking at the sky, geez.” Catra said. 

Adora sighed. “Come on, Catra. You can do that back at the castle. Glimmer set up a room for-.” 

“I’m not going back in there.” 

Adora looked at her warily. “Why? I already told you. Bright Moon is safe. The people here are-“ 

“I know! I know! Bright Moon is sunshine and rainbows! But, you don’t get it. The Rebellion is just the Horde was!” Catra snapped. “They only left me alive to force me to fight, and-” Catra just shook her head, a sick look on her face. 

Adora’s look shifted to somewhere between sympathy and guilt. She slowly approached, her arms wide. Catra allowed her to wrap her in a hug. 

“I’m sorry.” Adora said in a painfully small voice. “I didn’t mean to make it seem like you have to fight for us, but Catra-“ She pulled away to look Catra in the eyes. “They’re not going to kill you if you don’t. You’d think I’d let that happen?” 

Catra shook her head no. 

“No. Not now or ever.” Adora confirmed, a determined look blazing in her eyes. It made her stomach flip in an intense way. Catra looked away. “....I’m scared.” She felt like a child admitting so now. Weak and pitiful. 

But, Adora only gave a sympathetic look as she always did. “I know how that feels, but you can’t just keep doing this. It’s not safe to stay out in the woods.” Adora pulled away from her completely this time to offer her hand. “Just come with me and stay the night. I promise I’ll stop following you whatever you decide to do next.” 

Catra considered it for a moment before nodding and taking her hand. Adora lead her out of the forest, sword lighting their way like the sun. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vaguely touches on prompt but whatever 
> 
> I said fluff? Nah fluff is next   
> I just kinda wanted to iron out some of catra’s issues beforehand I imagine Catra wouldn’t be eager to submit herself to Bright Moon What with her experience in the Horde 
> 
> Idk if that makes sense but here y’all are my dudes


	4. Day 4: Unrequited

It’s hard to leave after the first night. Not only does Catra know damn well that Adora would just hunt her down again, but she also knows that Adora wants her here. It’s clear in every excuse Adora spits out when she’s is headed for the front doors.

So, Catra hung around, indulging Adora in whatever excuse she could think of. Some of them were genuinely interesting like the time she invited Catra to check out the castle’s training grounds. It was actually underwhelming compared to the Horde’s, a wide courtyard behind the castle where an array of wooden dummies and guardsmen staffs were set up. 

But when Adora picked up a staff and invited her to spar for fun, that’s when things picked up. They moved through the Horde’s basic drills, ones that had drilled into their mirror, before all hell broke loose. They moved into an all out brawl with wild swings, dirty tricks, and lighthearted taunts. 

Catra eventually swept Adora’s legs out, sending her sprawling on the ground. Adora blinked up at her in shock. 

Then, she laughed. Catra offered her hand. Adora took it and stood up. She proceeded to knock Catra flat onto her back. They continued to spar for a while. And once again, she was struck by how much it seemed like the past brought to life. It was just her and Adora, fighting and laughing side by side. 

The picture perfect similarities were crushed when Glimmer crashed their session to steal Adora away. Glimmer gave her a steely look while Adora bid her goodbye. She promised to spar again soon. 

Catra went out to the training grounds a lot. Sometimes, she’d take up Adora’s offer and end up in another intense fight. Other times, Adora was busy, off doing some important princessy...stuff. Those times, she tentatively take up Bow’s very eager attempts to hang out. 

Bow was a surprisingly good sparring partner. His expertise in melee and ranged combat made was made clear on the training grounds, and it made for one hell of a fight. The only problem was that he was too soft and sweet. He didn’t handle rougher play, both verbal and physical. A lot of times they’d have to stop altogether, because Catra hit too hard. Or sometimes, she said something too biting and even Bow wouldn’t talk to her for days until she spat out an apology. 

Overall, hanging out with Bow was a nice, but it just wasn’t the same as hanging out with Adora. 

Because, even the desperate attempts Adora made to keep her around ran so much more smoothly. Adora once offered her to show her the kitchens. Somehow, that little adventure spiraled into a game, daring each other to swipe these little mint green cakes from the chefs. Adora ended up winning. She had two cakes hanging from her mouth along with six crammed into her arms. 

Catra laughed. She made a joke about how uncharacteristic it was for her what with her hero persona. Adora only shrugged her off with a cocky smile. “Didn’t you know? I have a little evil in me.” She teased. 

And, that’s the exact moment when Catra’s heart turned on her. Something about Adora’s smile, the way her eyes lit up when she was around, the way she leaned in when they talked like Catra was the most interesting thing on her mind...

Her heart twisted at the thought, sending her heart into overdrive. All the attention Adora was giving her was getting her, she realized. It was sending her confused emotions into a frenzy again.

Except the more she thought about it, the more she realized she knew what she felt. She was growing to love Adora yet again. She remembered feeling the same butterflies in her stomach and her twisting, aching heart when they were in the Horde together. At the time, she had repressed the strange feeling with a vigor; her young mind thought it was a weakness, something that Shadow Weaver would surely use against her if given the chance. 

Too bad she had been too cowardly to face herself at the time. Maybe, there could’ve been something there. They could’ve been something. 

But now, too much has happened between them. Their relationship was tattered beyond recognition, and it was just starting to mend itself. They barely had a friendship at this point. How could Adora ever love her now? 

Catra retreated back to her room. She flopped onto her bed and tried to knead her despair away into the mattress. Once she was satisfied, she laid down, determined to sleep it off. Except every few minutes, she tossed and turned, but no position felt right. 

The bed was too soft. The sheets were too thick. The room was too warm. Her pillows were to poofy. 

...Her bed was felt too empty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unrequited (at least in Catra’s mind)


	5. Habits

And, that stunning realization made everything harder. Having Adora so close and so eager to hang around pulled her heart two ways. Part of Catra wanted to bask in her attention and enjoy it for what it was worth. Pretend it was the old days when it was just her and Adora against the world and maybe hold out hope that their relationship could change into something more romantic.

The other, guilt ridden part of her screamed “murderer!” every time Adora looked at her. Every smile was tainted by the knowledge that Catra came so close to never seeing it again. Every nice thought of Adora here and now quickly switch to “Why hadn’t I followed her sooner?” The guilt and regret would well up in her, making her want to cry out. 

“Soldiers never cry.” She could practically hear Shadow Weaver hiss in her mind. “You know who does cry? A worthless little pet! And if you’re going to act like a pet, you should be treated like one...” 

Catra knew it was stupid; Shadow Weaver was miles away, way out of reach from her wraith. But still, it was engraved in her mind almost like a reflex. She didn’t allow herself to cry. She downright refused.

But, that lead to a whole other problem. Her guilt was too strong and refused to be denied. Her fight to hold back crying just mutated her guilt into something much more understandable. 

She hopped into her too soft bed and dug her claws into the thin fabrics. With only a slight jerk of her hand, the fabric gave a satisfying rip. A small cloud of feathers puffed out of the new hole. Catra slashed at the sending another cloud flying. 

Catra kept it up, tearing through the blankets and mattress easily. Her room quickly turned white with feathers with Catra in the center of the mess. Huffing, she finally ran out of bed. She let herself fell onto her side into a pile of its shredded remnants, close to screaming. 

Her eyes started to water, but she screwed her eyes shut. Soldiers don’t cry. Soldiers don’t cry. Soldiers don’t-

There was a knock on the door. “Hey Catra.” She heard Bow say. “I was wondering if you wanted to spar today. I came up with a new arrow that you’ll never beat.” 

Catra didn’t respond. Much to her horror, the door freaked open. “Catra?” Bow looked alarmed as he peeked in. “Are you alright?” 

A tear slipped from Catra’s eyes. Catra quickly turned away, scrubbing furiously at her eyes. Soldiers don’t cry, damn it! 

She heard Bow approach and put a hand on her shoulder. She could imagine the disgusting look of pity he was giving her. “What’s wrong?” 

Catra shrugged his hand off with a weak scoff. Thankfully, he took the hint. She heard Bow turn away and retreat out the door. 

It took Catra a few minutes to peel herself off the floor. But with her heavy heart and tired mind, it felt like she could topple back over. She looked around at the mess that used to be her bed. 

How was she even going to fix this? It’s not like she could replace her bed. Not to mention, there were feathers and shred of fabric scattered across the room. Catra growled in frustration. 

Catra heard footsteps again followed by a “Here, catch”. She caught something flying towards her. She snatched it on instinct, finding it was a broom. She looked up at Bow in the door. 

“I’ll tell the village seamstress to replace your bed, no questions asked.” 

Catra eyed him. “What’s the catch?” 

He shrugged. “It’s not hard. We used to replace Glimmer’s bed a lot when she was still getting used to her powers.” 

Despite herself, Catra chuckled as she started sweeping up feathers. “That’s great. I guess the princess isn’t so perfect, is she?” 

Bow frowned at her. “Can you stop referring to Glimmer as “the princess?” 

“Why not? She is a princess.” 

“But you say it like it’s a bad thing.” Bow said, looking at her in disapproval. 

Her Horde training days came to mind. All the dummy princess she’d destroyed all while her superiors shouted off how evil and vile princesses were. Somehow, she didn’t that would fly well with Bow. 

“Well, she isn’t exactly Ms. sunshine.” Catra grumbled instead.

“That’s because you never tried to get to know her.” Bow said. “You should try sparring with her sometime.” 

“Yeah, right.”

“I’m serious.” Bow reiterated. Sure, Glimmer has issues with the Horde and all, but she’d come around if you gave her a chance. Just look at Adora.” 

And like that, Catra’s feelings hit her again full force. “Murder.” “Traitor.” “Coward.” echoed in her mind, pulling at her heartstrings. Her breathing hitched as she tried to get herself under control. Because only pets cry, damnit! 

“Catra?” Bow was next to her, frowning. He gently pried the broom out of her clenched hands. “Come on.” Bow put his arm around her shoulders and lead her out into the hall. 

Catra let herself be lead off in silence. It took a few corridors for her to realize the familiar path. Sure enough, they march down a small set of stairs, and they’re in the kitchen. 

Bow greeted one of the chefs apparently named Thyme. Thyme smiled back enthusiastically. The two chatted for a minute before Thyme agreed to do something and walked off. Meanwhile, the other chefs were eying Catra warily.

Thyme came back with two steaming mugs. Bow gave him thanks before taking the two, handing one to Catra. She accepted it but not without frowning questioningly at it. 

Bow didn’t supply an answer. Instead, he was back to leading her, pulling her along back upstairs and through a nearby door. Inside was a cozy room full of plush couches and chairs. They all were facing a roaring fireplace, filling the room with a comforting heat. 

Bow took a seat on a nearby couch and took a sip from his cup. Catra copied him with a chair opposite him, but she nearly gagged on the hot brown liquid. Catra tried to send a glare at Bow, but her watery eyes threatened to spill tears. 

“Sorry, I didn’t know you didn’t like tea.” Bow said sheepishly. “It was a just an idea. We do this a lot when Adora’s shaken from a nightmare. I thought it might help.”

Catra frowned. She couldn’t really remember Adora as someone who got shaken. She’d seen Adora beaten and bruised, but she always stood strong against whatever odds faced her. 

....Except when she was dangling from a cliff, begging Catra to save her only for Catra to turn away. 

That sent the tears falling. Catra was full on sobbing in seconds like the worthless little pet she was. 

“Catra! What’s wrong?” Bow asked alarmed. Catra couldn’t help it. 

She spilled everything to Bow. He listened intently as she spat out everything she did. And by the time she was done, Bow looked a mixed of horrified, shocked, and angered. 

“...Adora never told us that.” was all he had to say. She looked down at his tea. 

“I regret doing it.” Catra whined. “It hurts to even think about.” Bow only nodded. “What do I do though?” 

“I mean...all you can do is apologize, and let her know how you feel about this. What you did sounds...horrific. Adora may still be upset about it, of course, but you might get some closure that way.” 

Catra nodded. She nestled into her seat, thinking about how to go about that. 

*************************

Catra finally knocked on Adora’s bedroom door with a whole apology in mind. But when Adora opened the door, her mind went blank. 

“Hi Catra.” She frowned, looking at Catra’s red face. Catra could feel the tears welling up again. 

Adora opened her arms without a word. Catra rushed into the hug, letting the tears fall again without hesitation. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oomph more of Catra’s feelings hopefully this isn’t graitutious  
> Maybe next chapter we can shake things up lads  
> Also sorry for the wait holidays have me all over lol


	6. Emotions

“I’m sorry.” Catra managed to get out. She felt Adora pat her back. Catra leaned into Adora, tightening her hug.

“What for?” Catra looked up at Adora’s concerned, and her heart clenched in guilt. Her eyes were welling up once again. “Catra.” Catra felt Adora’s hands move up to squeeze her shoulders. “Catra, what’s wrong?” She urged. 

It took Catra a minute, but she spilt her guts yet again. This time, she watched Adora’s face fall into a more pensive look. Catra’s heart hammered in her chest as she waited for some kind of verdict. 

“I’m not going to lie.” Adora finally said. “What you did haunted me. I kept thinking you were my friend and that I could change your mind but-“ 

The unsettled look on her face says it all. Catra let go of Adora slowly. She hung her head and turned to leave the room. 

Adora grabbed her arm. “Hey wait.” 

She gently pulled Catra so that they were facing again. Catra kept her head bowed, and her eyes averted. That is until Adora tilted her chin up. 

Adora gave a small smile. “That doesn’t mean I’m not happy to have you now.” 

Catra sniffled. A small spark of hope ignited in her. “Really?” 

“Yeah. I love Bow and Glimmer, but it’s not the same. All of this, all of Bright Moon-“ Adora gestured around her frantically. “This whole She-ra business. It’s still so new and strange and frankly terrifying at times. But-“ She pointed at Catra, looking at her in earnest. “I know you. I know you so well, and I missed you just as much.” 

Catra couldn’t believe what she was hearing. In the Horde, she had watched Adora grow into a stoic soldier that only showed her true emotions in glimpses and only when she was sure they were alone, a learned reflex from Shadow Weaver’s “teachings”. Adora must’ve grown here, slowly working her way to where she was now able to share something so raw. 

It was new, and that knocked Catra off guard. Catra rushes to find some kind of response, but everything she came up with felt unworthy compared to Adora’s. 

Adora was so many things to Catra. Warm. Safe. Comforting. Constant. Strong. Brilliant. She didn’t have the words to express just what Adora meant to Catra and how much she missed Adora. So instead-

“I feel the same way.” Catra said after a minute. It felt lame, but it made Adora smile. 

Adora walked farther into her room. Catra turned to leave when Adora stopped her again.

“Bow told me you ruined your bed.” Adora said amused. 

Catra scoffed. “It’s not my fault. Everyone here sleeps on literal clouds.” She lied easily, but she felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. 

Adora just shrugged it off. “I did the same thing when I was first here.” A thoughtful look passed her face. “You know you can bunk with me until you get another bed.” 

Adora’s eyes widened as she reddened. She looked like she’d been shocked by her own words. “If you want that is!” She quickly added. “I get if you don’t want to. I just think-“

“Adora. Yes.” Catra quickly cut her off, trying to conceal how eager she was to share a bed again. 

She managed, somehow curling up in Adora’s perfectly firm bed at her favorite spot at the foot of the bed without doing something she’d regret. Because, the way her heart was fluttering by just being close to Adora was giving her some wild ideas. 

A part of her wanted to confess her feelings right then and there in the comfort of warm sheets that enveloped her in her love’s scent. But, her emotional turmoil had exhausted her, leaving her mind a sluggish mess. She couldn’t think past Adora’s steady snores lulling her into dozing off. 

Another time then. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s a thing it isn’t based on a prompt but I need it to kick off some plot I have coming next


	7. Free Will

Things happened too quickly. Suddenly, Catra was jostled awake only to find Adora rushing to her feet. When Catra gave her a questioning look, Adora dismissed her, claiming she couldn’t sleep and was going for a walk.

But, Catra could tell something was up. Despite her claims, Adora sounded strained like she was hiding something, and Catra didn’t like it. So when Adora left her room, Catra followed close behind. 

She crept along in the corridor’s shadows, following Adora to Glimmer’s bedroom door. There, Bow and Glimmer were waiting anxiously. Once Adora joined them, they were trading urgent whispers while keeping an eye on the corridors. Catra hurried to hide behind a column. 

She strained to hear. But even in the dead silence of night, she only caught a few words. “Invasion.” “Attack.” “Entrapta.” 

Catra’s blood ran cold. She stepped out from her hiding place. “What’s that about Entrapta?” She asked, trying to sound casual. The three jumped, rushing to the offensive. 

“How much did you hear?” Glimmer demanded, her fists sparkly and poised to punch. After a tense second, the sparkles faded, and she lowered her fists. However, she did maintain a harsh stare. 

Catra met her stare, fighting to keep her stance relaxed. “I asked you first-“ Catra slowly brought her hand up, showing off her claws, before poking her in the nose. “Princess.” She spat. 

Bow quickly pushed himself between the two. “We just heard that Princess Entrapta is alive.” Bow explained. “The Horde is holding her captive in a complex on the edge of the Whispering Woods’ Western border. Didn’t Adora tell you?” 

Catra turned to Adora giving her a peeved look. She had the decency to look guilty, at least. “No. No, she hadn’t. It’s pretty lucky I stumbled into you guys, huh?” She looked back at Glimmer and Bow. “So, what’s our plan?” 

“Our plan?” All three echoed though Glimmer looked affronted while Bow and Adora looked concerned. 

“Of course, it would be a shame if someone let your little mission slip to ole Queen Angella.” Catra offered. The three exchanged looks. 

************************

The complex looked barren when they had approached. No searchlights. No guards. Not even any fencing. It was a giant red flag, but they didn’t see it until they were too close. 

Lights shot on as they neared the complex’s yard, blinding them. Around them, soldiers in dark camouflage suddenly popped up from behind trees and bushes. The took advantage of their small group’s confusion and charged them. Catra fought them off as best as they could along with the other three, but they were way outnumbered even with She-Ra on their side. Soon enough, they were taken down one by one and captured. 

Catra found herself back in the position of being beaten and thrown over her captor’s shoulder. This time was worse though. This time, she got to walk down familiar industrial walls she thought she’d never have to see again. 

It’s funny. Not only was she back into the hell she had escaped, she had ran in willingly. It was almost enough to make her laugh. Of course, this is how things would end. 

“The boy goes down to holding cells B. Princess goes into the vault cell waiting down on sector V. Those two go directly to Shadow Weaver.” A waiting guard read off. Their group of soldiers split off, Bow’s dragging him off through one door in the hall while Glimmer’s took her to an elevator. Adora’s and Glimmer’s, however, continued their long walk down the hallway. 

Soon enough, they’re brought into a standard interrogation room and strapped to metal tables. As soon as they leave, Catra yanked at her bounds despite how unlikely it would be to break metal bonds. She looked around frantically, looking for anything helpful, but all there was was Adora who mirror her own panic. 

“Catra, I’m so sorry we brought you here.” Adora said, giving Catra this panicked look that made her stomach icy. Catra wanted more than anything take her out of here. Hug her and make that look go away. 

Instead, she opted for giving a shaky smile. “Shut up. I came here on my own free will, and you know it.” she said as confidently as she could manage despite her heart jackhammering in her chest. She laughed. It was strangled and harsh. “Isn’t it funny? You and me. Right back where we started? I mean...talk about dramatic irony.” 

“Catra!” Adora snapped. “Is this how you want to spend this time? Cracking jokes?” 

“I mean...I guess since we’re going to die anyway...” 

“We’re not going to die!” Adora bit as she went about testing her own bonds. Adore grunted in frustration, pulling at her bonds. Without She-Ra’s strength though, it was useless. 

“I guess it won’t heard to tell you that I love you. Always have, I guess.” Catra said. Adora went silent next to her. Catra refused to look, choosing to stare up at the ceiling. 

“What...” 

“Aww, how cute.” Black smoke flooded the air between their tables. It quickly solidified, shaping into Shadow Weaver. “The pet loves it’s master.” 

Catra gulped. At least, she was here from her own free will. And despite the fear threatening to overtake her, her heart had never felt this freed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I left y’all on a cliffhanger fight me lol   
> Writing is hard and I’ll finish tomorrow hopefully


	8. Capture

The door behind Shadow Weaver suddenly slid open. Scorpia walked in, shuffling through a stack of papers. “Ok, so I’ve got those reports you wanted-“ a familiar voice filled the room, giving Catra a bit of hope.

Scorpia looked up from a stack of papers only to catch sight of Shadow Weaver’s burning glare. Her eyes widened as she quickly took in the scene, brushing over Catra for a second. Catra mentally pleaded for her to do something. 

“I’ll just- Wrong room. “ Scorpia all but ran from the room, taking any hope Catra had with her. 

Shadow Weaver huffed. She turned to where Adora was strapped down. “My dear Adora, you’ve returned home.” 

Catra let out an amused huff, despite herself. Much to Catra’s dismay, she turned to glare at Catra. She ran her hand across her jaw before gripping her chin hard. “Welcome back, Catra.” She barked out. “I’m so glad to have you back as well. 

“Don’t touch her!” Adora shouted. Shadow Weaver’s head snapped towards her, her gaze softening. 

“Adora, dear, I thought you were past this childish attachments.” She said in a soft, almost motherly tone. Adora’s scowl deepened. 

“You can’t hurt her.” Adora said with a deadly determination. 

“Oh? And why’s that?” Shadow Weaver scoffed. “She’s but a pet. A childish toy I should’ve rid you of years ago.” 

“You’re wrong!” Adora snarled. “Do whatever you want to me! But I swear if you do anything to hurt Catra, there’s nothing you can do that’ll make me stay here!” 

Shadow Weaver dropped the motherly air, her tone becoming colder. Her hands slowly glowed with a dark aura. “I could wipe all your memories of her in minutes.” 

“Try it. I dare you.” Adora laughed harshly. “You’ll have nothing left!” 

Shadow Weaver growled. She balled her fists up and slammed them into the wall. “Such an insolent child, you’ve become!” She threw her hands up, heaving a harsh breath. “Fine. Fine.” She shook her head. “But, we can’t tolerate this weakness in the Horde.” 

“What are you-“ 

Shadow Weaver suddenly descended on Catra. Catra squirmed in her bounds, desperately turning away, but Shadow Weaver still managed to grab a hold of Catra’s face. 

“Stop!” Adora begged, but Shadow Weaver’s hands began to glow again. 

“I should’ve done this years ago.” Shadow Weaver hissed low enough for only Catra to hear. “This is what you deserve: to be a mindless little pet.” 

Catra had a retort on the tip of her tongue, but she quickly forgot it. In fact, she forgot how she got in this room in the first place. Her breathing started to speed up as panic set in. How’d she even get here? Why is she here? 

Catra steeled her face, only letting out a strained grunt. She didn’t know what Shadow Weaver was doing, but she wouldn’t show weakness even if her thoughts were slipping from her mind like water. 

“Stop!” Adora cried. “Please stop!” And, Shadow Weaver did. Catra laid on the table, tense and confused. Her heart was hammering in her ear so bad it took her a few minutes to register the metal thumps over head. 

Shadow looked up and let out a frustrated growl. “Again?! I thought we made the rules clear last time!” 

In response, a metal click sounded and then another. Catra frowned. She didn’t understand what it was, but it made Shadow Weaver shriek. 

“Guards-“ She was cut off by Adora jumping on her back and wrapping her arms tightly around Shadow Weaver’s neck. Shadow Weaver made a loud choking noise, clawing at Adora’s arms. 

Catra blinked. When did Adora get here?

“Help me!” Adora demanded. Jus then, Shadow Weaver slammed her into the wall. Adora cried out, falling down hard to the metal floor. Shadow Weaver turned on her.

Catra sprang up fast. She leapt at Shadow Weaver and sank her claws into her shoulders as far as they would go. Shadow Weaver cried out, moving to claw at Catra, but Catra put all of her strength into yanking down. 

The resulting scream was ear piercing. Shadow Weaver knocked Catra aside as she stumbled away. Suddenly, a metal grate dropped down, whacking Shadow Weaver in the head. She dropped hard to the ground. 

Entrapta popped her head out of the now open vent on the ceiling. “Oh, my calculations were correct then.” She dropped down, using her huge pink pigtails to cushion her fall. She looked down at Shadow Weaver. “Whoops.” 

“Entrapta!” Adora cried. 

“Yes, that’s me.” Adora sprang up and rushed to hug her only for one of her pigtails to stop her. “There’s no time for such behavior. We have to go. Now.” 

Adora frowned, taken back. “...But Bow and Glimmer!” 

“A part of the plan. Now, let’s go!” A pigtail curled around Adora and Catra’s wrists. They were yanked along as Entrapta pulled them out the door. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another plot bunny to set up the next chapter   
> Three cheers for ex machina Entrapta I figured she’d be a terrible prisoner seeing as she can easily hack The hordes cuffs


	9. Spiraling

What happens next came at in a blur. Catra followed Adora and...

Catra could've sworn she knew the girl with crazy pigtail's name. It was right on the tip of her tongue, but for the life of her, Catra couldn't remember. But, Catra continued to follow her. It's not like she had much choice. 

They ran through a few hallways before the pigtail girl lead them into a busted vent. They crawled through the vents for what seemed like forever until they came to a large vent. Through the slits of the vent covering, Catra could see the start of a strange forest made all the more clear by Entrapta ripping it off.

They slipped out one by one falling hard to the ground. Catra straightened up about to make a break for the forest when-

"Kitty!" A monsterous claw arm wrapped around Catra's waist and pressed her into a wall of muscle. "You're not dead!" 

"Yeah... neither are you." Catra managed to say. 

The clawed woman frowned down at her, shifting the two masses she had over her shoulders. "What's wrong with Kitty?" She looked down at the others. 

Entrapta shrugged. "Shadow Weaver did something. I could study it in more detail at my castle...if the robots haven't taken over it again." 

Adora looked at her, worry clear across her face. "We'll never make it that far, and we need medicial attention fast." Adora said. "Come on, I know where to go." 

********************************************************

As soon as they left the forest, a large, sparkling castle filled the horizon. The claw handed woman halted in front of their group, shifting from leg to leg.

"Um...I don't know about this, blondie. I mean Bright Moon doesn't take very kindly to us." She said. Catra felt like she was referring to something she knew, something she was present for. But after a minute, it slipped from her mind just like everything else. 

"Are you ok?" Adora asked. Catra tried to steel her face into a neutral expression, but her chest was starting to feel tighter. 

She knew who Adora was. Catra was sure of that. So, how did they meet? When? How long ago? How did she know the pigtail girl? Was the claw woman her friend too? What even was a Bright Moon? Why were they here? 

She was drowning in questions, and the fact that she couldn't supply any answers was terrifying. She'd have a hold on one memory one minute only for her to forget not a minute later. 

She was shaking, she soon realized. Strangers were staring at her in worry. The girl with pigtails reached out to hold her shoulder. "Catra?" 

Catra jerked away wildly. "Don't touch me!" 

"Catra? What's wrong?" The claw woman asked. She took a step forward, making the masses over her shoulder shift. Catra realized to her horror that she was carrying bodies. 

Catra stumbled back. "Stay away from me!"

"Catra." Adora grabbed her arm gently. "It's alright. It's alright." 

There's a tone in her voice that Catra knows. She vaguely remembered Adora using it on her before. For what, Catra didn't know, but there's a sweet nostalga in the memory. 

"Whatever is wrong, we can figure it out, but I need you to trust me alright?" Adora said. Catra nodded, letting Adora lead her into a forgein kingdom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying lads sorry hehehhe 
> 
> I probably could've written this better but this is the best I;ve got as of now lol hopefully its alright also I need to stop giving catra all this angst


	10. Expectations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger for wall punching

It all seemed eerily calm at first. Between running to plea Scorpia’s case to the Bright Moon court to assuring the guards that Entrapta’s new escape artist habits were indeed not a security hazard, her friend’s safety actually seemed the most normal.

It turned out that Bow and Glimmer had teamed up against their guards and their way up to meet Scorpia before they had an unfortunate run in with an enraged Shadow Weaver. They both seemed fine for the time being thankfully, only cuts and bruises to show for their efforts.

Catra, however,...wasn’t as okay. 

Queen Angella had called over Castaspella to look Catra over. She claimed that it was a intricate mind altering spell, constantly erasing, adding, or completely rearranging memories as it pleased. A spell like that would take time to break. She did what she could, working her magic and wrestling a few memories from its grasp. 

Still, it was clear that Catra wasn’t quite right. Whether it be the wide eyed stare Adora caught Catra giving castle hallways or the accidental slip up on Bow’s name, it all drove home a sense of guilt in Adora. The Catra willingly staying in the castle infirmary only seemed be a ghost, haunting Adora’s worries. 

Maybe, that’s what made her other work easier. She could work towards earning Scorpia’s pardon from Queen Angella. She could work towards getting Entrapta used to stationary castles with vents you shouldn’t be climbing. Hell, she could handle all the problems in Bright Moon while she was at it. Just top that to her list of duties as She-Ra. 

Except, she wasn’t She-Ra. She left her sword behind for a rushed mission they shouldn’t have risked. If only she hadn’t agreed to go, she never would’ve lost her sword to the Horde. It’d be right on her back where it belongs. Where she could draw it out and heal Catra with her weird She-Ra powers. 

But, no. She had to rush into action. She had to save the day, because it’s her job. 

But, she can’t do anything right!

Adora stopped her aggressive pacing in her room to glare at the wall. In a fit, she slammed her fist into the wall. Pain shot up her hand, but she did it again and again, crying out in frustration. 

How the hell was she going to fix this? The thought buzzed wildly her mind. She punched the wall again. 

How could she let her sword fall into the enemy’s hands, the one thing that could’ve saved this whole planet? The thought pushed into her mind. She punched the wall harder. Her hand started to throb. 

How could she just sit there while Shadow Weaver wiped Catra’s mind in the first place? The thought roared in her mind as she remembered the cool confession from Catra, underlined in her own terror. Catra had thought they were going to die back there and followed her heart for the first time. 

Clearly, Adora wasn’t as strong. 

Adora punched the wall one last time, throwing much more force into it. Her hand screamed in protest. Meanwhile, the wall now had red speckles decorating its cream brick. Adora looked down at her hand, heaving frustrated breath after breath, and numbly noted that she had broken the skin on her knuckles. 

“Oh, look at yourself.” Shadow Weaver’s voice leaked into her mind like a potent venom. Adora stood on edge. “Such disgraceful behavior from such a promising leader. If you’re going to be a commander one day, you’re going to have to do better.” 

And like that, she fell in line with the memory. She straightened herself out and wiped the emotion off of her face. She felt a cold numb as she squared her shoulders, ready to take on whatever training bot the Horde would put in front of her. Better. Faster. Stronger. More Efficient. That’s the name of the game. Nothing else matters. 

It took a second to break its hold. Adora blinked, realizing where she was and the dawning horror on the old habits she fell on. She sunk to her knees. 

There’s a knock at the door before it opened. “Hey...Adora?” Bow asked. 

Adora quickly scrambled to her feet, dusting herself off. “Oh, hey Bow. What’s up?” 

“What were you doing?” Bo asked, frowning in concern. 

“Uh, nothing! Just...” Adora flexed an arm. “Working out.” 

“...Ok.” Bow answered slowly. He seemed to let his reservations go for the moment. “Well, Glimmer and I going to try and help Catra by hanging around her. We thought you might want to come help.” 

“Yeah, sure.” Adora faked a smile as of nothing was wrong. As if this wasn’t all her fault. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?”Bo asked. 

“Yeah, totally.” Adora chuckled. Inside though, Adora panicked. She evaluated her expression before fixing her mistake, schooling her face into a cool neutral expression. Bow doesn’t seem to buy it still, but he gestured her to follow nevertheless. 

Adora sighed, thankful for the out. Then, she followed him off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey. It’s been awhile 
> 
> I’m sorry! I’ve been trying to write this trouble and STRUGGLING! I’ve been wanting to wrap this boi up but I’ve been out of ideas on just how to write it! 
> 
> But here we are! Now, I have an idea so here we are! Hopefully it makes sense and kinda shows Adora’s abuse too
> 
> Hope y’all like it!


	11. Recovering?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a bit of Glimmer and Catra interaction

When Bow and Adora approached the infirmary, they heard talking. Bow stopped. Adora looked at Bow curious until she heard Glimmer's voice. Adora nudged Bow towards the edge of the door, listening.

"...Come on, Catra. Work with me here." Glimmer urged.

"...who are you again?"

There's a loud frustrated groan mixed with a frantic cackle. 

"When are you going to quit with that stupid joke?" Glimmer snapped. 

"When your face stops being priceless." Catra said between snips of dying laughter. There's the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Adora and Bow squeaked, shrinking away. "Oh, no. Don't leave you're the highlight of my week."

The footsteps stop thankfully. A frustrated sigh is forced out, presumably by Glimmer. "Look, I know you dont care about anything-"

"Untrue, I care about making your face do funny things." Catra quipped. Adora frowned as the image of Catra spitting quips around the Horde base at other recruits bigger and stronger came to mind. An establishment of dominance. 

And, it was working as Glimmer groaned again. 

"Look, I'm just trying to help." Glimmer let out with a desperate air. "I know what it's like. Shadow Weaver's-"

There's a quick scrap of claws on the tile floor. "You know nothing about her!" Catra snapped.

"Yeah, I do! She cursed me to the point I could barely stand!" Glimmer said defensively. 

"Oh, yeah? Try living with her everyday until you can't tell her voice from the voice in your head! Until she shaped your life into a bastardized version of what it could've been."

"It's not too late." Glimmer's voice softened in tone but still kept an air of defense. "It's not ruined. You could heal. You just have to let us help."

Catra scoffed. "Heal? I'm sorry, Pinkie, but have you seen what happened lately?"

"Catra..." Glimmer started, her tired desperation back in her tone.

"No, really. I can't remember what happened lately. I have a feeling it was intense though." Catra sighed. There's a creak of a matress depressing as Catra sank back into the cot. "Story of my life."

"You remember a feeling?" Glimmer asked . 

"You remember why you're trying to help me?" Catra snipped back. "I remember...well, something. You don't like me, right?"

"No, you're quite a jerk." 

"Then, why?" Catra asked. 

" Because I'm not a jerk." Glimmer quipped back. There's a light clatter of something. A quick peek told them that it was a dinner plate piled with food. Catra looked at it sitting on her vedside table and then looked curious at Glimmer.

"Wow, you Bright Moon folks really are bleeding hearts." Catra said, but the comment held no weight. Her sheets ruffed as she moved to snatch a little mint green cake off of the plate. She turned it around in her hands as if it had all the answers in the world. 

"It has nothing to do with my heart. I mean...I can't stand you-"

"You sure had me fooled." Catra commented. There's a moment of silence. Another quick peek revealed that Catra held up her hands. "Sorry, Pinkie. Please continue."

Glimmer huffed. "As I was saying, I'm not doing this for the greater good. I'm doing this for Bow and Adora. They seem to like you, so you can't be all bad." 

There's a moment of silence. "Thanks, Glimmer." Catra said quietly. Glimmer seemed surprised enough to make a small gasp at her name. "Yeah. Yeah, I said your name. You know, you're not as bad as I remember."

"Thank?" Glimmer said unsure. Catra chuckled. 

"Don't get me wrong. You're still a-"

"Let's just stop while we're ahead." Glimmer cut her off.

"Fair enough." There's another silence only broken by the scuffing of feet. "You mind if I go take a walk?" Catra asked.

"I don't know. i'm not supposed to let you out. You might have another confused episode."

"Come on, I thought we had a moment." Catra joked lightly. When she didn't get a response, she sighed. "No, I actually remember Bright Moon right now."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it has a beautiful sky I could never see in the Fright Zone, those neat cliffs along the edges that gives you a bird's eye view of the kingdom, and those soft meadows just outside the village that don't even feel real. They feel like the plant equivalent of a pillow." Catra said.

"...I didn't realize you liked Bright Moon so much." Glimmer said as if in shock.

"Yeah, they're nice memories. I just thought seeing it for myself would do me some good."

Theres's a pause before Glimmer huffed exasperated. "Fine, you can go for ten minutes, but please be careful."

"Alright. Thanks, Pinkie." Catra teased. Glimmer let out an annoyed whine. Hurried steps rushed towards the door as Catra chuckled. Adora and Bow looked at each other in a panic, pushing each other in a effort to figure out what to do, but it was too late.

"Hi, Adora. Hi, Bow." Catra greeted, taking a bite out of her green cake. The two looked at her like deer caught in headlights. "You two should really work on your sneaking skills. Isn't that right, Pinkie?" She called into the infirmary. 

"Wait, what?" Glimmer came to the door to shook a disgruntled look at Bow and Adora. "You two were spying on us?"

Catra left the two to explain themselves, chuckling as she finished off the cake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted a bit of Adora and catra before I moved on to the final chapters

**Author's Note:**

> I’d appreciate some feedback kudos if you liked it and comment what you think 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Hey


End file.
